The saga of my ever shrinking railroad

[Anonymous]

VSMITH
You need to build it 3 times as big and a second story on it , good luck with your project
OH boy more room for trains. BEN[tup][2c]

[vsmith]

Update: I got some real estate for a permanent outdoor line!

After the new garage is built I will be adding a large planter area at the rear corner of the garage next to the property line, I'll have roughly a 10' x 30' are to work with, far bigger than my current temporary outdoor layout!

After some planning over on the "John Allen" thread on the Planning Forum I developed this plan, which will be the next incarnation of the Borracho RR.

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith//Outdoor%20layout%20study%20CURRENT%204-27-06.pdf

It's a mix of 4' and 6.5' dia curves using a folded dogbone (my favorite plan) and R1 switches. Yes.... I know I should use larger, but all my stuff is currently R1 compatable shorties and unless something so absolutly amazingly cool that I absolutlel have to have it comes on the market , or I win a biggun' at the BTS raffle this June, I see no major new purchases in the future. Besides I'm having too much fun building my own stuff!

Now this current layout will cannibalis all of my current layouts (in and outdoor) track and switches. Which is no biggie as it would otherwise go into storage for the duration. I dont know If I'll be able to justify rebuilding the interior layout. (I'm thinking of a simpler switching layout, maybe a portable ?) Now I need to find some proper power control switches to wire it for blocks *before* I build it and find a source of Tenmille manual switch throws.

More updates as they come.

[Anonymous]

Vic, Sounds great! Even if your outdoors only you at least have the climate for it.

Check with TOC, he being a Llagas dealer, and they have the Tenmile ground throws[;)] [e-mail]

[Train 284]

Vic, sounds like a great plan!Can't wait for pictures!

[vsmith]

Realized I needed to add some pics as the thread never showed how the outdoor branch ended up looking...these were also posted on Capt C's "May 16th" post...


around the eastern loop


Snafu Junction, check out the white birdhouse, thats less than 6 months old!


Approaching Tincan Juntion

Its less than a year old and already many of the birdhouses are showing a lot of weather damage.

[ttrigg]

Vic

Got the same birdhouse (and its twin gazebo). Use them as ticketbooths for my carousel.

[Train 284]

Any new updates Vic?

[vsmith]

Garage demo begins next week

Plans are in the city, should get a permit by end of next week

All my track and interior buildings are boxed and in storage, all the trains are currently stored in my hobby room, much to my wifes chagrin!

I will likely have to pull up the entire outdoor line due to the proposed electrical line routing to the new garage going right undernieth it....it will get boxed this weekend.

Looks like I'll be stuck being a workbench large scaler for a while till all the comotion is done....even though my wife doesnt want we working in the shop now that we've moved the bed to the adjacent room till our bedroom is re-modeled, thats still 2 or 3 weeks away!

I wont be able to know exactly how much real estate I'll have for the next incarnation of my RR till the dust settles and I see what area I have left. I know where and how big I want to build it (outside next to the studio) But I dont know how the ongoing turf war its going to shake down. Theres a chance the area I want might get wife-jacked into patio space off the studio room, if that happens I'll be forced back into the garage for my main focus. But I refuse to not have an outdoor layout, even if it ends up being very small left over space inside to wife-jacked patio area.

[ttrigg]

Vic;

Keep us posted on the new garage. As far as the wife goes, after the construction is finished send her off on a "vacation" and throw the tracks on the ground while she is gone! When she gets back the deed will have been done and your real-estate claim will hold. (Unless she is a "claim jumper" like my wife.)

[vsmith]

I like to get things out in the open, so at dinner I discussed it with her. Indeed she said she wants a small sitting area/patio of some sort outside the studio, so I'll have to see what will work over there. I can fit something similar in size to my current outdoor layout without any difficulty, but I'm going to do a raised planter layout instead of a ground level layout. That and I want additional landscaping/scenery so I'll need to make it a bit bigger than that. We'll see what I can cook up.

So the current plan is....rebuild a raised outdoor layout simliar to my current one at the back of my property, and rebuild the indoor branch to the last incarnation plan. I'll use the larger engines on the outdoor layout and the smaller ones one the indoor, but I'm sure there'll be alot of mixing....

At least I know where I stand, now i can make concrete plans

[ttrigg]

Good to hear that she has granted ground to the GRR.

[vsmith]

Ok all links reactivated, updates to come...

[vsmith]

Ok all links reactivated, updates to come...

Update #1

 

Well, its official....I'm sans layout, indoor or outdoor, all I have left is the Xmas tree circle, and its 36" dia....

Pulled up the outdoor track last evening, boxed half the structures. Will break down and box all the rest of the track tonight, and will take pics of the smoking remains of both...discovered those "outdoor" birdhouses are complete crap, at least off the shelf they are. Extremely deteriorated after a year of exposure, so next incarnation are getting heavy duty outdoor-proof treatment.

Dam, after all the years of trying to get going outside, I learn why *being* outdoors is so different from being indoors...

The Bad...

Track exposure badly oxidatized in some places due to some lawn product exposure.

Leaves are a constant ongoing battle

Small weeds left for a week become trees!

Sunlight (UV) seams to be a bigger deteriorator of outdoor items (track,buildings) than rain, or wind.

LGB manual switch actuators are complete crap after a short time due to the weiniee springs inside, will be replaced with Tenmille groundthrows next time.

and the Good....

The initial idea behind the layout building, namely a simple wood header enclosure filled with gravel and stones as a dirt cheap, stupid easy way to get started in Garden Railroading, proved sound!

I found that even with oxidation issues on the track, I only needed one power connection and after a couple loops the train ran fine the rest of the day.

And finally...
Garden railroads, of any size are relaxing, just the perfect excuse to sit outside and watching the train run has a terrific relaxing effect on everyone who see them.

So planning for the next layout begins. I will post a couple ideas I have. This one will be elevated 12-18" and will incorporate more landscaping scenic ideas. I'm thinking of either rebuilding only a few of my exterior birhouse structures into more realistic (and tougher) buildings or getting new outdoor specific building. I'm thinking a minimum of buildings on the new layout.

The indoor layout will require even more planning so nothing yet on that, other than I plan to incorporate a foam base under the tracks to allow for scenery to be more 3D.
2 early studies :

This one is the simpliest, following the last outdoor layout plan:
http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith//HOUSE-Garage%20Studio%20-Layout%20alternate%201.pdf

This one is a little bigger:
http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith//HOUSE-Garage%20Studio%20-Layout%20alternate%202.pdf

 

Update #2

 

Well its happening, the guys are here and after helping me clear out the last of the junk, its being torn down...

 

Here are the pics of the abandoned right of way, tis' a sad site for me...

 

Just so you can get idea of what we had ...before demo

 

and some of the reason why we'd have to do this anyway....

Rather nasty splits in the main roof framing[:0]

 

We definetly have too much JUNK

 

[vsmith]

Garage is half down, roof and both patios are gone....also gone is half the benchwork.

 

I debated whether to save the benchwork but I have to admit it was originally built pretty hap-hazardly. the next incarnation will use a more professional framing using 1xs and foam base so scenery can be carved into it.

 

Heres the latest revised plan for the new layout, its a foot deeper, that will allow me to add greater depth and give it a more scenery 3D look. Theres a connector to the work studio.I also pick up a new mine siding to boot!

 

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith//GarageStudy%20Proposed%20rebuilt%20indoor%20layout.pdf

 

[vsmith]

heres where we are today...

Here a sad pic for me, all thats left of the Borracho RR today

[vsmith]

Progress!

Footings trenched, thats SWMBO with her ferocious hellhound:

from the back corner, the left side is where the new layout goes:

Looking at the ensuing chaos that the yard is in:

Closer look at where the layout will go... about 12' x 25'

Why I had to pull up my outdoor layout

Where everything else ended up...

Should be able to pour concrete by next week, framing goes up the following week if not earlier...at least its getting there.

[Anonymous]

Vic, glad to see things are now getting underway! Not being familiar with CA building codes how deep does the footer need to be? Looks shallow, Ohio is minimum 36" deep. I guess I always asumed CA would have deeper footers do to earthquakes.

[bman36]

Hey all,

     Vic, glad to see the work is under way. I recall the Spring of  2000 very well. It all began with saying goodbye to a very sad looking 12 x 20 garage. After that came a 30 x 30 footer to replace it. The best came after. Looking at what I still had left for a yard my first dreams of a garden railway began. My wife said " A what?" The rest like thay say is history. Congradulations on a fresh start. After all is said and done it will be great. Later eh...Brian.

  

[vsmith]

OK foundation is complete, utility trenches filled, framers will be here Monday.

Man, they left a mess in the yard, theres dirt everywhere. Gonna be real busy this fall just putting the yard back in order. Gotta get some of it up before we get any rain or its going to get really messy out there.

Plus side, I actually measured the area out there and found I had the stupid tree in the wrong place. Been fiddling with a new layout for the back corner and finally have a viable plan for the outside layout.

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/HOUSE-Garage%20Studio%20-Layout%20alternateXXYYZZx1.pdf

[ttrigg]

Plan looks good.  Can't say as much about your counting.  Which switch did you forget to count?

[Anonymous]

Vic,

Since I have seen it, looking cool man, very cool!

William

[vsmith]

Update

Monday there was just a slab...today:

Heres where the workbench will be

The indoor layout

Heres where the outdoor layout will go

[bman36]

Hey Vic,

Awesome...things are really coming along. Nice to know that there is still room for an outdoor line. Keep us posted. Later eh...Brian.

 

[Anonymous]

Vic,

Awwwwwwwwhhhh could not get .jpgs to open!!

William

[Anonymous]

VIC

Looking good ,i wish it was in my back yard , thanks for shareing the pictures .  BEN

[vsmith]

In a quandery lately, I can't seam to decide whether to rebuild the previous version of the indoor layout or go with a smaller more compact layout I devised...

 

http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/vsmith/GarageStudyOverlay%20Model%2010-27-06.pdf

 

The PDF shows both, the top layout, which is a slightly enlarged reincarnation of the last layout, its longer, more spread out and looks more prototypical correct. The downside is that its more spread out, and does eat alot of real estate due it being esentially a point to point layout, and I can only run very short trains

 

The lower layout, is much more compact, still has a lot of operational aspects, has a longer loop, and fits better in the garage with all the other things that are going to be going on in here. The downside is that it looks very much like a glorified Lionel layout.

 

I have a few more things to consider as well, like rebuilding a car in the same garage space and the area that will require, and having a wife get fumed over having 2 layouts.

 

There IS a possibility of only being allowed one, which one will depend on certain variables, the outside one is next to the neighbors trash bins, so plus in my favor.

 

I still plan to have something inside that back corner of the garage, even if its just the 4x6 I started with 3 years ago

[Anonymous]

Vic I like the outdoor one but that is just what my gut is telln me. Plant a tree by the trash cans. 1/2 c.

William

[kimbrit]

Hi Vic,

Consider me updated, very nice indeed!

Cheers,

Kim

[vsmith]

Insulations is in, drywall tommorow.. Roll up garage dorr went in today...only wrong door, not the one we ordered...Grrrrrr will this ever end?

[Anonymous]

Ask Matt, because that is about normal in construction for something to screw up, leased I had it once a week.

William